Shoe cleaner



Feb. 17, 1948. E. A. STEIN SHOE CLEANER Filed May 28, 1945 2Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY.

I N V EN TOR.

BY I, if

Feb. 17, 1948. E, A, STEM 2,436,234

SHOE CLEANER @dtm ATTOENEX 30 sawed into two halves, the holder being soproportioned as to width that the ends of the backs of these shorttransverse brushes extend somewhat beyond the spacing of the opposedends of the bristles of the side brushes 29 and 36, as clearly shown inFigure 5, so that the bristle ends of the side brushes will engage andinterlock to some extent with the end rows of the bristles of thebrushes 2'! and 28 andso serve to lockthe said lower brushes 2'! and 28in position in the base structure and between thelower portions of thesaid side brushes.

' "troughslaterally disposed opposed brushes span- Thus, in assemblingthe device, the side" brushes are first snapped into position beneaththe flanges 3| and 32 of the side walls, by virtue of the wedging actionof the transverse wa1ls'2l and 22 previously referred to, and thebrushes 2'! and'28 are thereafter forced down between the opposedbristles of the side brushes into their seating upon the cross' bars 25and 26 of the base structure, whereupon the brush" assembly is veryfirmly maintained in position by the holding engagements described andby their opposition .to each other without the use of additional screwsor fastenings for that purpose. 1 I

When it is desiredto disassemble the'structure for brush replacement orcleaning, or for any other reason, the brushes 21 and 28 are firstremoved by applying thumb pressure to the backs thereof through theopenings 18 and I9 inthe base structure and forcing the said lowerbrushes upwardly and outwardly from theholder, following which the sidebrushes may be swung inwardly and upwardly utilizing the flanges 3| and32 as pivots by simply using suflicient pulling;

force on the lower parts of the brushes to overcome the wedgingresistance of the bevelled walls 2| and 22. r

I prefer to make the walls I6 and 7 ll of a height extending above thebacks of the posi-.

tioned brushes 21 and 28 in orderto provide a scraper action at suchpoints; and any suitable means which may be convenient may be employedfor aiflxing thev brush holder to a floor, pins 35 and slots 36 beingillustrated as a simple form of such fastening.

This invention may be developed within the scope of the following claimswithout departing nate sets of said series of struck-up walls withspaces between said troughs to accommodate and. frictionally grip thebacks of -upwardly facing brushes, and side wallsflanged-along theirupper edges to accommodate and frictionally grip the backs of laterallypositioned opposedbrushesv 2. In a device of the class described, abrush holder comprising a base-having ;a series Of struck-up spacedwalls, said walls being arranged ,to provide transverse troughsbetweenalternate sets of said struck-up walls in spaced relation-to oneanother, upwardly facing and transversely extending brushespositionedxin. the spaces between said troughs and frictionally held inplace by the opposed surfaces of certain of said struckup walls,laterally disposed opposed brushes spanning the... ends of said firstmentioned brushes.

ning the ends of said first mentioned brushes,

the bristles of said first mentioned brushes ex-' erting a positioningimpingement on the ends of i5, and flanged side walls engaging the backsof said laterally disposed brushes, said laterally disposed the lowerbristles of said last mentioned brushes,

brushes being yieldingly and removably held in placeby said positioningimpingement of the bristles of said first mentioned brushes.

'4. In a device of the class described, a brush holder comprising a basehaving a series of upstanding spaced apart walls to provide intermediateand end, transverse troughs arranged in spaced relation to one another,upwardly facing and, transversely extending brushes removably positionedand frictionally held between the upstanding walls in the spaces betweensaid troughs,

laterally disposed opposed brushes spanning the ends of said firstmentioned brushes, and flanged side walls engaging the backs of saidlaterally disposed brushes with the flanges of said side walls overlyingthe upper edges of the backs of said laterally disposed-brushes, the endportions of the walls of said intermediate trough being inclineddownwardly toward said flanged side walls for engaging and supportingthe lower edges of the backs of said laterally disposed brushes, saidinclined walls cooperating with the flanges on said side walls tofrictionally grip the backs of said laterally disposed brushes. 1 5. Ina device of the class described, a brush holder comprising a base havinga series of vstruck-up walls to provide intermediate and end transversetroughs formed in spaced relation to one another, upwardly facing andtransversely ;diate trough being beveled and providing inclined surfacesextending downwardly toward said flanged walls to engage the lower edgesof the backs of said laterally disposed, brushes at a locking angle withrespect to said side walls and flanges,

6. In a device of the class described, a brush .holder comprising a basehaving a series of struck-up walls' to provide transverse troughsarranged in spaced relation to one another, up-

wardly facing and transversely extending brushes positioned in thespaces between said troughs and yieldingly engaged by certain of saidstruckup walls, laterally disposed opposed brushes spanning the ends ofsaid first mentioned brushes, the bristles of said first mentionedbrushes exerting a positioning impingement on the ends of the lowerbristles of said last mentioned brushes, and flanged side wallsextending transversely of saidstruckmp walls engaging the backs of saidlaterally disposed brushes, and the innermost walls of said end troughsengaging the ends of said laterally disposed brushes to thereby preventlongitudinal displacement of said brushes.

7. In a device of the class described, a brush holder comprising a basehaving a series of struck-up walls to provide intermediate and endtransverse troughs arranged in spaced relation to one another, upwardyfacing and transversely extending brushes positioned in the spacesbetween said troughs and yieldingly and frictionally engaged by certainof said struck-up walls, laterally disposed opposed brushes spamiing theends of said first mentioned brushes, and flanged side walls engagingthe backs of said laterally disposed brushes with the flanges thereofoverlying the top edges of said brushes, the end portions of the wallsof said intermediate trough being inclined downwardly toward the sidewalls for interlockingly engaging and supporting the lower edges of thebacks of said laterally disposed brushes, and the innermost walls ofsaid end troughs being disposed for engaging the ends of said laterallydisposed brushes to thereby prevent longitudinal displacement of saidlaterally disposed brushes. 7

8. In a device of the class described, a brush holder comprising a basehaving a series of upstanding spaced apart walls to provide intermediateand end transverse troughs arranged in 30 spaced relation to oneanother, upwardlly facing and transversely extending brushes positionedin the spaces between said troughs and yieldingly and fr'ictionallyengaged by certain of said upstanding walls, laterally disposed opposedbrushes spanning the ends of said first mentioned brushes, and sidewalls having inwardly directed flanges extending along their upper edgesengaging the backs of said laterally disposed brushes, the end portionsof said walls of said intermediate trough being beveled to provideinclined surfaces extending downwardly in the direction of said sidewalls to engage the lower edges of the backs of said laterally disposedbrushes at a locking angle, and the innermost walls of said end troughsprojecting beyond the ends of said first mentioned brushes for engagingthe ends of said laterally disposed brushes to thereby preventlongitudinal displacement of said second-mentioned brushes.

EDWARD A. STEIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 154,715 Reed Sept. 1, 1874350,879 Freytag Oct. 12, 1886 574,590 Trumbull Jan. 5, 1897 977,091 Hawet a1. Nov. 29, 1910 1,283,269 Nichols Oct. 29, 1918

